J.B. Simko, Newly Promoted to VP External Affairs, and Aaron
Sherinian, VP Transformation, to Serve in D.C. Office
LAUSANNE, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 2, 2019--
Philip Morris International’s (PMI) Washington, D.C., operations are
being strengthened with two key personnel moves. J.B. Simko has been
promoted to Vice President External Affairs and will relocate from New
York to serve in his new role as head of the Washington, D.C., office.
Aaron Sherinian, who has been serving in his role of Vice President
Global Communications Transformation from Paris since he joined the
company in September 2018, will relocate to work in the D.C. office as
well.
“We are very pleased to have J.B. and Aaron representing PMI in
Washington,” said Marc Firestone, President External Affairs and General
Counsel. “They are both powerhouse team players, and we believe their
presence in D.C.—where regulatory and policymakers meet—will send the
positive message that we are working to make our vision of a smoke-free
future a reality in the U.S. and abroad.”
Simko has been with PMI since 2001, and he will continue to work for
Firestone and Livio Vanghetti, Vice President of Global Partnerships and
Cooperation, on external affairs.
“We congratulate J.B. on his well-deserved promotion,” said Vanghetti.
“This strategic strengthening of our Washington, D.C., office will serve
as an advantage in building PMI’s capabilities for future-facing
communications, constructive engagement with civil society and alliances
for global social good.”
“This is a rewarding role, and I am very happy to be continuing in my
expanded position as we ramp up our efforts to build a smoke-free
future,” Simko added.
Sherinian will continue to work on transformation for the existing
Global Communications team, led by Marian Salzman, Senior Vice President
Global Communications, and on regulatory and scientific communications
for Moira Gilchrist, Vice President of Scientific and Public
Communications, who leads PMI’s FDA-related communications.
“In just a few months, Aaron has proved himself as integral to our
Global Communications division, as we work to bring about one of the
greatest corporate transformations in history, with historic potential
to generate public health benefits for millions of adults who smoke
around the world,” said Salzman. “This team is telling the story of
PMI’s vision of a smoke-free future as part of genuine dialogues that
exert intelligent influence.”
Said Sherinian: “This assignment is the professional challenge of a
lifetime, and it’s one that I wholeheartedly embrace. Being in
Washington, D.C., will be a real advantage in building PMI’s
capabilities for future-facing communications, constructive engagement
with civil society and alliances for global social good.”
Before being appointed to his current position, J.B. Simko was vice
president and associate general counsel, litigation, managing litigation
of company-wide significance on behalf of PMI entities globally. In this
role, Simko also became deeply involved in developing regulatory
strategies related to FDA authorization of new and modified risk tobacco
products.
During the course of his career with PMI, Simko has provided legal
support across many business functions, including Next Generation
Products, Research & Development, Communications, Sales, Marketing and
Motorsports, Brand Integrity, and Compliance.
He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School (JD, magna
cum laude and Order of the Coif) and a graduate of the University of
Iowa (BS, Psychology).
Before joining PMI, Aaron Sherinian served as global communications
director for the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) from 2017 to 2018,
responsible for coordination, messaging, media relations and digital
communications for a worldwide network including over 80,000 employees
and a mission to help improve quality of life for people around the
world.
Sherinian served as chief communications and marketing officer for the
United Nations Foundation through a period of intense global challenge
and change. During his tenure at the foundation (2009-2017), the
communications team won multiple awards, including being named “PR Team
of the Year” by PR News. Sherinian was named by PRWeek as “Global
Communicator of the Year” in 2015.
Earlier in his career, Sherinian was managing director of public affairs
for the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. government development
assistance agency administering $7 billion in poverty reduction grants
in 40 partner countries, and served as a foreign service officer for the
U.S. Department of State.
He holds degrees from the Johns Hopkins University (School of Advanced
International Studies) and Brigham Young University.
Philip Morris International: Building a Smoke-Free Future
Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the
tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace
cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would
otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company and its shareholders.
PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the
manufacture and sale of cigarettes, smoke-free products and associated
electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing
products in markets outside the U.S. PMI is building a future on a new
category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much
better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary
capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and
scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free
products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory
requirements. PMI's smoke-free IQOS product portfolio includes heated
tobacco and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of Dec. 31, 2018, PMI
estimates that approximately 6.6 million adult smokers around the world
have already stopped smoking and switched to PMI’s heated tobacco
product, which is currently available for sale in 44 markets in key
cities or nationwide under the IQOS brand. For more information, see our PMI
and PMIScience
websites.
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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190402005560/en/
Source: Philip Morris International
Philip Morris International Media Office
Corey Henry
T. +1
202-777-4304
Corey.Henry@pmi.com
